Dry cell



W. B.YSCHULTI\.

DRYELL. APPLICATION FILED AUG.26| 1918;.

'1,342,001'. mmm@ 1 1920.

IIIIIIIII;

f. .Ie 5% mcltmm f fw, Lz/M @M UNITED STATES @PATENT-j OFFICE..

WALTER B. (SCEULTE, F MADISON, WISCONSIN, ASSIG'NOR T0 I3`IJ".IRGIESS BATTERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION'OF WISCONSIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

f 'DRY' CELL.

Patented June 1, 192e..

Application led lAugust 26, 1918.A Serial No. 251,367.

. useful Improvements in Dry Cells; and I do hereby declare lthe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to'make and use the same. l

The present invention relates to improvements in dry cells, and more particularly in .the terminals thereof; and it primarily resides in the provision ofa specially-con-- structed terminal which may be attached to the zinc can or electrode in a more secure and effective manner Vthan has heretofore been possible, and' in such a way as to llie wholly within the plane of the can, so that a number of cells may be arranged side by side for transportation or other purposes with their cartons actually touching one another, but with no danger whatever of contact between the terminals of adjacent cells,I

The invention further comprises an im proved attachment for the contact screw or terminal of the carbon electrode, the. attachment consisting of -a spring washer or its equivalent, which is ttedon the aforesaid terminal and bears against the metal cap associated with the same. By virtue of this arrangement, the terminal will be se? curely held in place, consequent upon the tightening of:- the washer against the cap by the binding nut, thereby insuring eicient contact between it and the electrode.

. The. invention also comprehends the .pro-

vision of a metal guard ring, which fits over and reinforces the upper end of the zinc can, and which, in conjunction with a label held in place thereby, serves to protect the pitch or other seal against breakage, and the zinc terminal against-accidental detachment.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thev construction, combination and arrangement of parts as ication, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly set forth in the a pended claims. The said drawing disc oses what may be regarded for all present purposes as the preferred form of the 'invention; but the latter is not to be con sidered as limited to the precise details of 'such disclosure, excepting in so far yas may.l

be necessary from the terms of the claims,

since modifications and changes may "well'v be made within the scope. thereof, and parts of the invention may be utilized without ments. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a broken, part-sectional side elevation of a dry cell or battery constructe .in accordance with the invention; l

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a plan `view of the cell proper, with the guard, binding nuts and spring washer omitted;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, showing the mounting of the terminal of the zinc electrode; p

ig. 5 is aperspective view of said termina v Figs'. 6 and 7 are similar views of the guard and label, respectively;

Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview of the spring washer; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmental, part-sectional side elevation of an arrangement in which the guard and label are omitted.

Referring more particularly to said draw. ing, 1 indicates the pasteboard or other carton which contains the cell or battery, 2 the zinc can, cup or electrode, 3 the carbon elecsaid screw or post is provided with an enlarged head?, which rests upon the top face of the rod and is formed with a rectangular boss 8 lflttin in a correspondingly-.shaped opening in 51e cap and serving to lprevent rotation of the screw, the aforesaid head being somewhat larger than its boss, so that a portion of the cap thus overlies the'head and tends to 'hold the post invertical posiothers, andl in4 other and different environtrode, and 4- the pitch or equivalent seal.y

. tion. The threaded stem of the post carries the usual binding nut 9, which is adapt# ed to clamp a conducting wire (not shown) against the' cap, or against van interposed place of the usual flat washer and acting maintain the post in upright position with its head resting squarel against cap 5. In its preferred form, t e spring washer consists of a thin disk of metal which is stamped or pressed into the sha e of a dish or shallow cup, as shown, the ree edge of the cup resting upon the top of the cap while its flat to is rovided with a centr perforation 11 or t e extension of the post therethrough. By reasonof this arrangement, it results that when vpressure is imposed upon the washer, due to the tightening of the nut 9, the said washer will'be eX- Vpanded and caused to bind against the cap and, hence, will prevent the post from tiltiifig, so that its head is necessarily held in e ective contact with the cap.

The terminal associated with the zinc can or4 electrodeA presents the most important features of the invention, and, in its perferred form, consists of upper and lower vertical portions 12 and 13, andan integral horizontal, central portion 14 connecting them, the two portions 12 and 13 being arranged insoifset relation with respect to each other. The lower portion 13, which constitutes the stem of the terminal, is designed to fit in a vertical recess, indentation or .pocket 15, formed in the;y upper end of the zinc can', as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. This pocket has a length somewhat greater than that of the stem 13, and a width at least as great as the diameter lof said stem, from which it follows that the solder 16 which is used to fasten the stem to the can will be enabledto flow into and lill the spaces be I tween the side walls of the lpocket and the vided in this wa rigidity ofthe joint correspondingly in- L i i Q surface of the stem, besides covering the entire front of the stem, and will `also lill part'or all of the pocket below the stem, so that a greatly enlarged contact area is proor the solder, and the Grease j As further regards the mounting of the stem in the pocket, as above described, it is an important feature 'thereof that the said stem lies entirel within tlieplane of the circumference o the can, due to the de th of the pocket, so that after the soldering operation has been completed, the can, with t e terminal thereon,r may be readily inserted into, or withdrawn from, thecarton,

without any interference on the partof the signed to snugl the last-named portion or member 12 will be disposed inwardly of, and, hence, out of alinement with, the first-named or stem portion or member 13. Consequently, the said threaded portion will be disposed within the confines of an imaginary cylindrical surface or plane forming a continuation of the plane -of the carton, so that when a number'of cells are arranged side by side in contact, the

from engagingone another. The abovementioned connection 14 is designed to project across and rest upon the upper edge of the zinc can, .and in this wayeserves to position the stem portion of the terminal in'its pocket, said portion 14 also forming a support for the lower of a pair of metal washers l17 carried by the threaded portion 12, be- I tween which washers a nut 18 is interposed, and above which is mounted a binding nut 19. Y y

The cell is completed by a guard 2O and label2l, which act conjointly to strengthen lthe can at its upper ond and to protect the pitch seal 4'aga1nst breakage, asvhereinafter the soldered joint-between the stem of the offset terminal and the zinc can; but while these` parts are preferably included in the cell,'.the are not absolutely essential, and may, -if esirecl, be omitted, as -will be understood fro representeld being in all other res ects identical with that above described. he guard v explained, the guard also serving to protect Fig. 9;' the construction therein I 20 may advantageously consist of'a metal y ring, which is formed at its'upper edge with an in-turned ange 22 having a perforation 23 therein, the flange bein slightly widened at the point where the per oration is located,

as clearly shown in Fig. 6.` This ring is dethe can, so that it extends across the front of the pocket 15 and the soldered stem ortion 13 of the aforesaid offset terminal an serves least as great as the de th of the pitc seal', the latter likewise'wil be protected. l The label 21 may b e constructed of asteboard or other suitable material, an

encircle the upper end of.

,to protect vthe joint against accidental in-fl vjury, as well as to strengthen the can at its. top; and since the height of the rin is at may bear any' desired printing on its outer face, i 1 for advertising or other purposes. It is designed to 'rest upon theouter face of the iso 85 terminals of adjacent cells will be prevented v plane of thev cup.

pitch `seal, which it completely covers; and it is formed with an inwardly-extending peripheral notch 24 and with a central opening 25, through which the metal cap 5 projects. The edge portion of the label under- 4liesthe flange 22 of the guard ring 20, and

its notch 24 1s disposed directly beneath the perforation 23 in said flange,so that the connecting portion 14 of the offset terminal is thus enabled to fit in said notch and, consequently, serves to hold the label against turnin movement, as will be understood from ig. 1. The threaded portion 12 of said terminal projects upwardly through the perforation 23.y

The invention, its structural features and advantages, are believed to be apparent from ,the foregoing, and further description and explanation thereof being accordingly omitted.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a battery having a vzinc electrode in the form of a fluid tight cup or container, a contact terminal fixed directly against the wall of said cup at the upper end thereof and disposed within the confining plane of the cup.

2. In a battery having one electrode in the form of a cup or container, a contact terminal attached directly to said cup and comprising an offset threaded binding post disposed within the confining plane thereof.

3. In a battery having one electrode in the form of a thin cup or container, a pocket pressed into the upper end of the wall of said cup, and a contact terminal comprisingA a stem portion secured in said pocket and an exposed portion offset inwardly with relation to said stem to lie Within the confining 4. In a battery having4 one electrode. in the form of a thin cup or container, a pocket in the upper end of the wall of said cup, and

a contact terminal comprising a stem portion secured in said pocket, a binding post integral with and disposed above said stem, and a flat connecting portion between said stem and post and resting upon the upper f edge of said pocket, said post being offset inwardly with relation to said stem to position it within the confining'plane of the cup.

5. In a battery having one electrode in the form of a cup or container, and a seal in the upper end thereof, a pocket in the sealed end of said electrode, a contact terminal having its stem secured in said pocket, and a metal reinforcing ring encircling said sealed end to strengthen the same and protect the seal against breakage, said ring extending across said pocket and the Stem therein.

of a cup or container, having the outer surthe stem therein.

7. In a battery, an electrode in the form of a cup or container having a pocket in its upper end, a seal in said end, a metal ring encirclin said sealedend to strengthen the same an protect the seal against breakage, and extending across said pocket, said ring having its upper edge turned continuously inward so as to overlie said seal and provided with a perforation, and a contact terminal comprising a stem portion secured in said pocket and .a binding post extending upwardly through said perforation.

8. In a battery, an electrode in the form of a cup or container having a pocket in its upper end, a seal in said end, a metal ring encircling said sealed end to stren hen the same and protect the seal against reakage and extending across'said pocket, said ring having a continuous, in-turned rim which` overlies the seal and is provided with a perforation, and a contact terminal comprising a stem secured in said pocket, a horizontal portion on the upper end of said stem underlying said rim directly beneath said perforation, anda binding post on said horizontal portion projecting upwardly through said erforation.

9. n a battery, an electrode in the form. of .a cup or container having a pocket in its upper end, a seal in said end, a metal ring encircling said sealed end to strengthen the same and extending across said pocket, said ring having a continuous rim which' pro-V jects inwardly over the seal and is provided with a perforation, a label resting upon said sea'l with its edge underlying said rim andhaving a radial notch which di-Y rectly underlies said perforation, said label and rin acting conjointly to protect lsaid seal against breakage, and a contact terminal comprising a stem portion secured in said pocket, a lateral connecting portion at the upper end of said stem fitting in said notch, and a binding post on said connecting portion projecting upwardly through said perforation.

10. A battery terminal of unitary con-v struction embodyinga lower rod-like portion or stem, a threaded cylindrical upper portion integral therewith and offset with;

respect thereto anda Hat connecting portion` i between said upper and lower portlons, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aHix my signature.

WALTER B. SCHULTE. 

